Bahla Fort

The Bahla Fort, which has been declared a World Heritage site. At the village of Bahla, one can also view potters at work.

Head towards Jabreen, the finest of Oman's castles built in the late 17th century which became a seat of Omani learning. The castle displays the highest achievement in Omani ceiling painting and beautifully executed wood carvings.

The fort underwent massive restoration efforts and reopened in 2012. However, the complex lacks in visitor information. There are no exhibits or brochures available to learn more about this large space or guides at hand to provide further details so you have to either go on a tour or explore on your own.

The fort is believed to have been built between the 12th and 15th century by the Banu Nebhan tribe who inhabited the area at the time and were known for controlling the trade of frankincense at the time.

As part of the complex, there is also a citadel oasis adjacent to the fort and an ancient wall spanning 13 kilometres part of which are still standing. The majority of the oasis is in ruins but the structure and some of the houses still stand.

As the fort was built with bricks made of mud and straw, erosion damaged the structure until rehabilitation efforts were launched. There are a lot of legends surrounding the castle.